tony posada

For those who are new around here, I chronicle the high school exploits of Michigan commitments over the course of their seasons in Friday Night Lights. It includes statistical recaps, game stories, and even some original video. Here's a primer on the offensive side of the ball.

Lake Nona Schedule 2010

Date

Time

Team

8-27

6:00

Lake Howell

9-10

7:00

@ Lake Placid

9-17

7:00

Palm Bay Heritage

9-24

7:30

@ Lake Wales

10-1

7:00

Auburndale

10-8

7:00

@ Tenoroc

10-22

7:00

Sebring

10-29

7:30

@ Winter Haven

11-5

7:30

Lakeland Christian

Kevin Sousa

Lake Nona had a rough inaugural season of high school ball, winning a single game on their way to a 1-9 record. Their only victory came over fellow 1-9 squad Celebration. That's understandable in their first season, one without many (or possibly any) seniors on the team as well. Sousa passed for 1346 yards and eight TDs, while rushing for 916 yards and an another five scores.

In year two of Lake Nona's existence, there's a good chance that they take a leap forward. Just like year two of a coaching change, the players are used to the coaches now (and are even used to each other, after coming from different high schools as sophomores and younger). Sousa will also be in his third year of football after growing up a soccer player. Lake Nona has added some talent as well, including RB Jarius Pace, so Sousa won't have to be a one-man show. That should mean more openings and better stats for him. I think Sousa has a chance to improve his rankings (currently a consensus 3-star) with a good year statistically.

I won't be able to catch any of Sousa's games live, but plan to follow his progress this year very closely.

Birmingham Seaholm Schedule 2010

Date

Time

Team

8-26

7:00

North Farmington

9-2

7:00

Bloomfield Hills Andover

9-10

7:00

@ Bloomfield Hills Lahser

9-16

7:00

Detroit Country Day

9-24

7:00

Auburn Hills Avondale

10-1

7:00

@ Hazel Park

10-8

7:00

@ Berkley

10-15

7:00

Ferndale

10-22

7:00

@ Birgmingham Groves

Shawn Conway

Last year, Seaholm started the season by losing their first six games, before rebounding to finish with a 3-6 record. They missed the state playoffs, though they typically make it into the state tournament. Their quarterback issues prevented Conway from racking up gaudy stats. He finished the year with 79 receptions for about 800 yards with ten touchdowns.

Seaholm should be improved this year as Conway has the opportunity to star in his senior season, and their coach is on record expecting to win the league. Mick McCabe calls Conway the #17 player in the state of Michigan, and notes that his size/speed combo makes him a tough matchup. Still, unless Seaholm's quarterback situation get much better, he might not rack up serious stats. The lack of numbers will likely prevent Conway from seeing his ratings improve.

Seaholm is close enough to Ann Arbor that I should be able to make it out to a couple of Conway's games this year.

Traverse City West Schedule 2010

Date

Time

Team

8-27

7:00

Grand Haven

9-2

7:00

Grandville

9-10

5:00

Essex (CAN)

9-17

7:00

Cadillac

9-24

7:00

Gaylord

10-2

6:00

@ Dearborn Edsel Ford

10-8

7:00

@ Petoskey

10-15

7:00

@ Alpena

10-22

7:00

@ Traverse City Central

Jake Fisher

Last season, Traverse City West went 4-5 in the regular season, missing out on the state playoffs. They run an option-based ground attack. Fisher played primarily tight end and defensive end for the Titans, accumulating 10 receptions (out of only 38 for his entire team) for 185 yards and a touchdown on offense, with four tackles for loss on D.

This season, Fisher will remain at tight end, though he's added plenty of size in the offseason (three inches and 20some pounds), so he might be more of a mauler up front and slightly less of a receiving threat. The TC West coach is dropping platitudes about character being important, so the team probably won't be that good. They received just one out of about 100 first-place votes for conference champions among local media. Since Fisher's still playing out of position in high school, he probably won't see his ratings get that much better.

I might get a chance to check out one or two of Fisher's games this year, but probably not.

St. John's Jesuit Schedule 2010

Date

Time

Team

8-26

7:30

Toledo Scott

9-4

1:30

@ Birmingham (MI) Brother Rice

9-11

7:00

Sandusky

9-24

7:00

@ Toledo Whitmer

10-1

7:00

Toledo Start

10-15

7:00

Oregon Clay

10-22

7:00

@ Toledo Waite

10-29

7:00

@ Toledo Central Catholic

Jack Miller

Last year, St. John's Jesuit went 6-4, but that wasn't good enough for them to make the state playoffs. The season included a heartbreaking 6-7 loss to crosstown rival Toledo St. Francis DeSales. [Update: your editor got confused by St. Francis DeSales claimed that was where Omameh and Rock were from; they're from Columbus. Not Tim's error.] Miller had 12 sacks for his team, but obviously didn't accrue any stats as an offensive lineman.

St. John's Jesuit is in their final year of the City League, and will be competing in a new conference by next season, so this is their Nebraska-like last chance to win. Miller will play on both sides of the ball for his team. The recruiting sites can't even agree on what position Miller will play, so if he excels on the offensive line this year, he could see his ratings move up a bit.

I should have a couple opportunities to see Miller play in person (including tonight! Follow me on Twitter @varsityblue for updates) and plan to take some original mgoblog video.

Tony Posada

Last year, Plant was loaded, running up a 13-1 record and winning the Florida Class 5A State Championship. Posada was key a member of a line that racked up 2945 team rushing yards.

Plant is still loaded in 2010, with RB James Wilder and QB Phillip Ely committed to big time programs (Florida State and Alabama, respectively). They're the odds-on favorite to win a third consecutive state title. Posada should once again be a bookend for the line. With the amount of exposure that Plant gets, Posada will have to show some improvement in technique (and an ability to keep his weight down) if he wants to see his rankings move up.

I won't be able to see Tony play in person, however his team will be playing Manatee this Friday in a rematch of the 2009 state title game. The matchup will air on ESPNU.

Trimming Lists, Planning Visits

WI RB Melvin Gordon (pictured at right, via the Kenosha News) may take an official visit to Michigan. It had previously seemed like the Wolverines were out of the running for Melvin, and this could be a sign that they definitely want a big back in this class.

Michigan is in FL RB Devondrick Nealy's top five ($, info in header). He's similar to FL RB Demetrius Hart, so if all goes well with Dee, I wouldn't expect Nealy to end up in this class.

NJ Slot WR Miles Shuler-Fosterhas a top 7 that includes Michigan. He seems to be one of only two slots (along with FL Slot WR Prince Holloway) that Michigan is pursuing. It's not a position of need, but Shuler's speed would be hard to turn down.

NJ TE Jack Tabb (who recently visited Ann Arbor) is ready to cut his list of more than 20 offers. Six schools, including Michigan, are guaranteed to make that cut, making up a de facto top six.

FL S Jonathan Aiken is considering a visit to Ann Arbor. Rutgers and UCLA sound like his top two. A Rivals header ($) is much higher on Michigan's chances, but I'll trust the neutral source.

LA CB Daren Kitchen, who has long favored Michigan, will take an official visit for the Connecticut game ($, info in header). If receives a commitable offer on that visit, he could drop for the Wolverines.

Other

Leaving the state was a major factor, Posada said, as was Michigan’s reputation of producing offensive linemen. Two weeks ago, Posada said his mind was “99 percent” made up.

“That day I walked outside and it felt like it was 100 degrees out and I told myself, ‘I want to go to the snow,’ ” Posada said. “And when you go to Michigan and they ask what did you play and you say offensive tackle, people say, ‘Man, you must be good to play tackle at Michigan.’ ”

It sounds like the staff is planning to play him at tackle, which means any more OL commits will probably come from guards.

Tom spoke with FL OL James Elliott following his Michigan visit, and Elliott had nothing but positive things to say:

JAMES: Man, that was the most amazing school I've ever seen in person... We actually stayed a little longer than expected just so we could see everything, and meet Coach Rodriguez. We didn't realize he was in Seattle, so we wanted to stay to meet him. We got to see practice and talk with him about the visit. It was just great.

He named Michigan his leader ($, info in header), so what's the next step for Elliott? He holds an offer, but not yet a committable (i.e. Rodriguez-issued) one. With a few good OL targets remaining on the board, Elliott may have to wait to see how things shake out before he receives one.

MI CB Valdez Showers will announce a decision next week. The Wolverines are in his top four ($, info in header), along with Michigan State, Northwestern, and Florida. Though Showers grew up a Michigan fan, I don't think they're the favorite to land him at this time.

The Distant Future. The Year 2016(!)

Swenson’s dream school is Michigan, but he also has his priorities straight. “The first thing is to get a good education,” Swenson said. “I want to go to a good school and play football. I’d like to study engineering or business.”

The issue? Kid's not even in high school yet. Erik Swenson's recruitment is a long way off, but assuming we all survive Mayan apocalypse, he's one to keep an eye on in the future.

Said Allen, "Before I just didn't have a very good idea of what Rich Rod and his staff were about, but after (the visit) I feel a lot more comfortable with them. I know that they're interested in me. They're on my radar with all the other schools that were recruiting me."

Gant is the son of former Wolverine Tony Gant, but he grew up a fan of the Buckeyes.

"Tony's best football is ahead of him," said Plant coach Robert Weiner. "I mean he is on the upswing for sure and has gotten so much better year to year, even the last few months. He's a student of the game and has all the physical traits to be another great lineman at Michigan. We are all real excited for him."

And finally, video of the commitment itself:

Welcome to the Maize and Blue family, Tony.

Happy Trails

IL OL Jordan Walshcommitted to Iowa. Michigan had seemed to be the favorite until this, so it's a big blow. Michigan needs at least one guard commit in the class and he was a highly rated one. Best chance there seems like IL OL Christian Bryant.

OH LB Antonio Poole never got a Michigan offer, so it's no surprise that the Wolverines are out of his final 3. He's making a decision soon, but if a Michigan offer comes...

Etc.

The Orlando Sentinel previews Dr. Phillips high school, home of FL RB Demetrius Hart and all the other D-1 prospects in the Panthers' lineup. As recruiting news goes, Auburn is back in the mix for Hart. His is becoming the kind of recruitment that followers shouldn't invest too much in on a day-to-day basis, and just see how it all shakes out in the end. Hopefully, that end will come in 23 days.

His plan as of now is to take all of his official visits to out of state schools. “I fixing to set one up with West Virginia coming up, so West Virginia will be the first one I take. Then, I’ll take one to Michigan, the (USC) Trojans, Oregon and probably Marshall.”

At the very least, that vindicates my insistence on leaving him on the board. If he does make it onto campus, there's always a chance at him.

Tom talked to FL OL James Elliott, who is visiting Ann Arbor tomorrow. Rich Rodriguez will be on his way to Seattle immediately after practice, but Elliott will have a chance to meet the headman when he returns for an official visit. He knows numbers along the offensive line are starting to get tight, and if he wants to pick Michigan, he'd better pick up the pace.

I'd removed him from the board long ago, but apparently NJ OL Keith Lumpkin has Michigan in his top group. He's trimmed his list to ten, including the Wolverines. Michigan's recruiting along the offensive line might get wrapped up pretty soon, so Lumpkin will have to visit soon if he's serious about Michigan.

MI DE/DT Damon Knox picked up three Big Ten offers last week ($, info in header), and his Rivals profile now shows that Illinois, Michigan, and Michigan State are those three. Knox reportedly has issues with his grades, so those offers are probably conditional upon improvement in the classroom. His film is impressive:

Knox was also a top performer at the Michigan Football Showcase (video), and is he can get his academics in order, he could fill out to be one of the defensive tackles in Michigan's class.

(Re-)Added CA LB/DE Woodson Greer, who holds a Michigan offer. Despite that, he seems unlikely to leave the West Coast.

IL DE James Adeyanju has locked in official visits to Wisconsin, Boston College, Nebraska, and Illinois. Michigan is in a group of six schools vying for his fifth and final visit. As of now, he's a backup prospect for Michigan, and will likely take that visit elsewhere.

OH CB Commit Greg Brown intends to enroll early at Michigan ($, info in header). He's the only current commit that has publicly mentioned early enrollment.

“I plan on making my decision before signing day but not before the season ends... I have my top schools, Michigan, Miami, LSU, Wake Forest, North Carolina, West Virginia and Tennessee.”

That's a positive sign, but we'll have to wait until December or January to find out whether he likes Michigan enough to come up North. Crawford's teammate, WR/S Sammy Watkins, missed the team's first practice, and is a much longer shot for the Wolverines. If Rich Rod can land Crawford, however, it can only help.

OH CB Doran Grant is the subject of the latest Sam Webb profile in the Detroit News. He's down to a final 10 including Michigan, and will trim to a final 5 soon, also likely to include Michigan.

"It is a good vibe (at Michigan)," Grant later added. "I'll probably say that they are going to get an official visit. I'll say that now. Michigan is going to get one, hands-down."

Ohio State ad Michigan State are still on top, but the Wolverines remain in the hunt. He will make his decision a couple weeks after his senior season ends.

Tom's weekly update contains new info on FL Slot Prince Holloway, MI DE/OL Anthony Zettel, FL CB Dallas Crawford, and a few 2012 prospects. Check it out for the latest.

2012

Has OH RB Warren Ball committed to Ohio State? He's playing it coy, but even if he hasn't committed, his tone ("that's my dream school") makes it seem like only a matter of time. Maybe his teammate, 2011 Michigan Commit Chris Rock, can convince him otherwise?

Fluff on MO WR Dorial Green-Beckham. He's now on a "no fluff links" policy, so until there's actual recruiting news about him, he won't appear in this space again.

After a brief server outage, here come the Hello. GBW is reporting that FL OL Tony Posada out of Tampa Plant High School has committed to become the 10th member of Michigan's 2011 recruiting class.

INFORMATIVE PORTION

GURU RATINGS

Scout

Rivals

ESPN

3*, #75 OT

NR OL

3*, 78, #34 OT

At 6-5 and already over 320 pounds, Posada is expected to be an offensive tackle at the next level. We'll get started with the ESPN evaluation:

Posada has great size along with enough explosion and playing strength to dominate defenders at his present level of play. Has the height and weight we like to see for the offensive tackle spot at the major level of competition.

He has a number of strengths:

Flashes explosion off the ball with good pad level and fit for his height; brings his hips with a good base and the leg drive necessary to sustain contact.

His agility is also singled out as a positive, though they say that quicker pass rushers, primarily from the linebacker position, could give him trouble. Other points to work on:

Will need to work on all aspects of punch, location and extension however his arm length and quick hands should be an asset.

Uh, that's actually really brief. ESPN, per usual, gives the above raving review, then follows it up with a lofty... #34 offensive tackle ranking. How can a guy whose only weaknesses are "might have trouble picking up a blitzing linebacker" and "has a little technique work to do on his hands" be ranked so low?

Up front the offensive line for Plant will be led by Tony Posada. He is a big kid who moves well. Posada also played very well in their state title game. He will have the chance to really blow up this fall if his play on the football field continues to improve.

Tony also has enough flexibility to move inside and play offensive guard, which is always a plus when recruiting offensive linemen. The more spots a recruit can play, the more opportunities he might have with a program. Coaches like linemen who provide multiple possibilities instead of being tied to one position and having to then recruit other linemen to fill a specific need.

Tony is a bulldozer; think somewhat of a taller Justin Boren. The biggest difference is stength.

Despite "stength" being listed as one of his weaknesses, he has shown impressive strength in winning a regional title in the shot put, then finishing sixth in the state. Still, if there's even the slightest question about his strength, that 320-some pounds is not all good weight.

OFFERS

Posada was offered early, at least back in February. Kansas, USF, and Wake had also offered at that time. According to his Rivals profile, his other BCS-level offers included the likes of Duke, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisvulle, Missouri, Rutgers, South Florida, Tennessee, and Texas Tech.

The conventional wisdom on Posada was always that a Florida offer would be nearly impossible for him to turn down. When it became clear that an offer from the Gators was never going to come (despite performing impressively at their camp), Michigan became the heavy favorite. However, South Florida came on strong in the end, causing Michigan to stave them off down to the finish line.

STATS

Posada is an offensive lineman, and therefore doesn't have stats. He was, however, part of a dominant Tampa Plant running game last year (more on Plant in a moment). TJ Glover and James Wilder both ran for nearly 1,000 yards, and the team on the whole rushed for 2,945 yards on their way to a state title.

FAKE 40 TIME

Rivals credits him with a 5.39-second 40-yard dash time. That doesn't sound FAKE at all, but given the fact that he's well over 300 pounds, it still qualifies for one FAKE out of five.

VIDEO

There are no Posada-specific highlight reels available, but a bunch of Tampa Plant material is out there (Posada is #75):

There's a huge disparity between descriptions of Posada and his actual rankings. He's certainly not under-the-radar, playing at one of the most visible programs in the nation. So what does it all mean? I would guess based on photographic evidence and measureables that he has to get in much better shape to be ready to play in college, in addition to the technique work mentioned above.

Tony's an offensive lineman, so he would probably be a lock to redshirt even if he didn't have conditioning and technique question marks. During his first year in Ann Arbor, he'll work to rectify those issues.

After a redshirt, Tony would hopefully be in decent shape to play (he certainly has good size). There will be more playing time available at tackle than guard, and he's a combo prospect who projects at either position. As a redshirt freshman and sophomore, he could get some playing time before sliding into a starting position as a junior and senior.

UPSHOT FOR THE REST OF THE CLASS

Posada is offensive lineman #3 of four or five in the class. That means there's only room for a couple more. Chris Bryant, Jordan Walsh, and Nick Martin seem like some of the most realistic prospects to fill any remaining OL spots.

Offensive recruiting is almost completed (a tight end, and outside receiver, and Dee Hart are probably the only three positions left on that side of the ball). Defensive tackles, another linebacker or two, and defensive backs are the emphasis from here on out.

ETC.

Plant is a powerhouse program, routinely pumping out tons of talent. In this year's class alone, 5-star RB James Wilder and 4-star QB Phillip Ely will graduate from Plant. Getting a foot in the door for future years can't hurt Michigan's recruiting efforts. The Panthers will play on ESPN on August 27, against Manatee in a preseason state title rematch.

Kellen Jones Goes Blue

"We were in Coach Rodriguez' office, and my family was in there with me. I told Coach that I was committing, and my whole family broke into the Michigan fight song. My Dad, Uncle, me, everybody was singing the fight song. Coach Rodriguez laughed and said he had never seen that before. He was shocked."

He also told Tom about getting to see the Big House. For video evidence, you can see a Youtube video that a family member (I presume) uploaded. I'll warn you in advance that it's not particularly interesting:

Other outlets have covered Jones's commitment as well. Check out breakdowns from GBMWolverine:

He is an outstanding blitzer, shows excellent timing getting to the ball, and has a nice closing burst. Kellen will need to improve his scraping and coverage skills.

[T]he thing that jumps out at me about Jones is his playmaking ability and athleticism. He uses his speed and quickness to get into the backfield, and has a great nose for the football once he’s in position to make a play

Jones takes a bit of pressure off linebacker recruiting, though there are still a couple spots open in the class.

Happy Trails

MI RB Justice Hayescommitted to Notre Dame. Though he's off the board, he might re-emerge as a prospect if something weird goes down with Demetrius Hart.

PA S Mike Caputo will make a commitment within a few weeks, and he's only considering Pitt, Penn State, West Virginia, and Ohio State.

Happy Trails from the future for FL S LaQuentin Smith? He's close to a decision, and Michigan gets no mention other than as one of his offers. I'll leave him on the board until we have a better idea how the Dr. Phillips recruits shake out. His teammate, fellow safety Roderick Ryles, has committed to Arkansas, but will visit other schools ($, info in header).

More Updates

Rivals' Michael Langston caught up with FL RB Demetrius Hart at Gridiron Kings, and Dee talked about Michigan and Alabama, his decision timeframe, and what other Florida players he finds impressive:

That decision could come as early as the UConn game, and it's encouraging to hear how much he gushes about his friendship with current Wolverine Ricardo Miller. Brice's Recruiting has the highlights from Hart's performance at Gridiron Kings.

OH WR AJ Jordan has pushed back his timeframe for making a final decision ($, info in header). He's planning to announce a favorites list soon, and Michigan is likely to be on it.

Added FL WR Quinta Funderburk. He's a possibility for Michigan's second receiver spot in the class, and according to MGoRecruit, Michigan is in his final five, along with Arkansas, West Virginia, Penn State, and Florida.

FL Slot WR Prince Holloway wants to take an official to Michigan ($, info in header). He's the only true slot receiver Michigan has given an offer, to the best of my recollection.

Michigan: "I have been talking with Michigan about their offense. It's the kind of offense I would like to play in and I am used to playing in. I know things haven't been the best up there but they have been recruiting well and I think this team is ready. They are close and this will be their breakout year."

Prevailing wisdom had been that he'd pick the Wolverines, but South Florida has made a strong push lately. Keep an eye out next Wednesday to see if Hello: Tony Posada comes to fruition.

VA LBs Travis Hughes and Curtis Grant are both "considering" Michigan, but neither is likely to become a Wolverine any time soon. Grant did talk to Sam Webb about Michigan ($, info in header), so maybe he more interest than it seems.

Local fluff on FL S Wayne Lyons. Michigan is in his final 14, and he'll announce at the Army All-American game.

Lyons, who raised his GPA entering his senior year to a 5.0 by getting straight A's in every one of his classes except Biology (one of his classes at BCC), doesn't need anyone to put a positive spin on anything he does.

Sounds like he'll be a great asset on and off the field to whichever program he ultimately chooses.

GA S Avery Walls has transferred high schools to seek out a christian-oriented education. Michigan still has a great shot at landing him, but he's no longer playing for Wolverines in high school (as he had been at Union Grove, pictured to the right).

MI CB Valdez Showers has announced a top 6 of Florida, Michigan State, Michigan, Northwestern, Auburn, and Iowa, in no particular order. He plans to make a decision at the end of August.

Local fluff on PA LB Branden Jackson and PA DT Delvon Simmons. Simmons doesn't mention the Wolverines among the schools he intend to visit, and the Wolverines have a much better chance with Jackson.

2012

"I've always loved Ohio State," O'Brien said. "I was a Michigan fan when I was really young. Me and Pat had a little rivalry. He'd go for Michigan and I went to Ohio State. We'd always talk trash to each other during games. Pat and I could never like the same teams."

That doesn't seem like the most deep-seated fandom in the world, and Michigan is reportedly among his early favorites. He's already holding a Tennessee offer, so he's likely to be a big-time prospect down the road.

Your Weekly Breathless Dee Hart Update

The Gridiron Kings event in Florida last weekend brought out a ton of big-name talent, including top Michigan target FL RB Demetrius Hart (with an enormous HT to MGoShoe, who was all over this topic). ESPN's Jamie Newberg:

Hart, a small and compact running back who is ultraquick and explosive, was impressive in each game for the Southeast. He made a ton of big plays and some great catches.

"It was a couple of great days," Hart said. "I think the key was that we, as a team, bonded early. I was just happy I got to contribute the way I did."

Running back Dee Hart (Dr. Phillips) excels catching the ball out of the backfield and has some shake to him with the ball in his hands. I can see him being very versatile running back lining up both in the backfield and in the slot at the next level.

"I would say Michigan is 75 percent," Hart said. Leaving the possibility that he might commit to Alabama at 25 percent. "I like the area at Michigan," Hart said. "You know I'm from Florida, so I've never really had all four seasons and I like that. I like the fans. They have a great fan base up there. They also have great programs up there, like their business program and that's what I want to go into is business management."

A decision on his visit for the UConn or Iowa/Michigan State is possible. Dee was recently interviewed by local news. The most important quote:

So I guess that's what Rich Rodriguez means when he says he wants guys who "love football." Dee also gives a shoutout to FL QB commit Kevin Sousa in the interview.

Other Camp and Combine News

A bunch of other targets, some of them surprising, were also in attendance. FL S Karlos Williamsmay visit Michigan, potentially with Hart (and Clinton-Dix?!), which would be a major coup for the Wolverines. FL S HaSean Clinton-Dix still maintains that he is solid to Bama:

"Still 100 percent. I'm committed to that," he said. "I respect the fact they still recruit me and I give them my full attention when they call. You never know what can happen and I might need something back on."

Though Clinton-Dix says he's solid, you never know what can happen if you get these kids on campus. MI WR DeAnthony Arnett, who has dropped Michigan, also impressed at Gridirion Kings.

Victors_Valiant and Scout.com's Chad Simmons also liked Sousa's performance. VV noted that his footwork was good, and Simmons said he threw some good passes.

Visits and Decisions

MI RB Justice Hayes announces tomorrow at 11am, as I told you in last week's Recruitin' post. Michigan and Notre Dame are the top contenders, but I think he'll pick the Irish.

IL OL Chris Bryant had a positive visit to Ann Arbor over the weekend, as he told Tom. Tom predicts that a commitment may be coming soon, so keep an eye out for Hello: Christ Bryant. IN OL Nick Martin was on campus at the same time, though no commitment is expected.

They're one of my top four but I haven't made my final decision on them yet. Right now, until about two weeks from now, it's going to be an open game, an open game for anyone.

He claims to be open-ish, but his preference for Michigan shines through.

In upcoming visit news, TX LB Kellen Jones should be hitting campus this weekend. He's a top Michigan linebacker target, and a lifelong fan. If the visit goes well, there's a chance he'll commit to the maize-and-blue. Either way, he'll make a commitment before September.

[Watkins's coach Grant Redhead] expects Watkins to take his official visits from the group of Clemson, Miami, Florida, LSU, Alabama and Michigan. "I know he loved Michigan when he went up there. I’m thinking mid season he’ll commit. He’ll probably take at least three officials to his favorites. If not mid-season, then after the season."

An official visit before his decision would be a very good thing, especially if the Wolverines can get his teammate, FL CB Dallas Crawford, in town at the same time.

"Yes sir, because I'm talking to a couple players that are being recruited by Michigan, like Avery Walls. I've had a chance to befriend him. We've been talking about them and he's been talking about how Michigan is a place I need to check out, and maybe set up an official with him so we can get up there at the same time. We're good friends now and we talk on the phone. He's trying to recruit me there I guess (laughing)."

That's elite GA DE Ray Drew. It sounds like Avery Walls is likely to end up in this class as long as the year goes according to plan, and he'll do everything in his power to get some other top prospects to commit. Drew said he'll be receptive to Walls's overtures should he commit to Michigan (H/T touchdown chad henne).

I forgot to mention this last week, but according to ESPN, CA CB/RB DeAnthony Thomas, a USC commit, plans to visit Michigan and Ohio State. Tom confirmed that he'll take on official if Rich Rodriguez offers, and once you get a kid on campus etc etc.

2012

Dorial Green-Beckham isn't the only wide receiver Michigan's looking at in Missouri. MO WR Jehu Chesson is also "high on Michigan" ($, info in header).

Local fluff on MI OL Kelby Latta, who already holds offers from Michigan State and Wisconsin.

MI CB Terry Richardson has received offers from Alabama and LSU ($, info in header). The hometown Wolverines have yet to offer the Cass Tech prospect, because he didn't make it to Michigan's summer camp. Once the coaches get the chance to evaluate some junior film, don't be surprised if he get an offer.